Crossing boundaries: research ethics when collaborating across national, sectoral, or disciplinary borders and cultures

Our contemporary concept ethics comes from the Ancient Greek ethos, meaning character – of an individual, or community. Research ethics codes, therefore, reflect the character of research and its management. This character varies across research disciplines (such as arts and sciences), across sectors (such as academia and industry), and across international borders. These variations present three risks: (1) that research ethics codes inhibit, or are perceived to inhibit, cross-cultural collaborations; (2) that cross-cultural collaborations violate, or are perceived to violate, research ethics codes; and (3) that power asymmetries between cultures challenges the equitable alignment of research ethics codes in collaborations.

According to the Ancient Greeks, values conflict is inevitable; but, handled well, presents a unique opportunity for cultural development. We will facilitate candid and confidential group discussions around how these risks manifest at different levels of management seniority within the RMA profession. We will also explore how RMA professionals can transform these risks into opportunities to enrich research proposals as we guide them through the ethical review process. Research ethics codes reflect culture but can also shape it: we will explore how RMA professionals can develop research ethics codes that constructively influence research culture and practice.

News

We are delighted that 3 of our INORMS 2018 plenary speakers have been featured in the latest issue of Research Fortnight! Read articles by MIT’s Ehsan Masood, University of Nottingham’s Shearer West and Loughborough’s Dr Elizabeth Gadd. To find out more about Research Fortnight and access the publication, please click here.

We are delighted to announce that Worktribe are joining us as a Principal Partner to this year’s INORMS 2018 Congress in June. Attracting over 1,100 research leaders, managers and administrators from all over the World to the historic city of Edinburgh, the Congress will discuss many of the challenges and opportunities affecting the world’s research community. “We […]

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